Silo attachment



Dec. 17, 1929. E. M. KUTZ, 5a., ET AL.

5 ILO ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheen gi whim: EM/fu Z7; 5/5, v [fuzz EMKQZ J:

Dec. 17, I929. E. M. KUTZ, sR., ET AL 1,740,250

SILO ATTACHMENT Filed 1928 2 Sheets-Shawv 2 I will 4-5 ml ii Patented Dec. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES L'MQJZSt PATENT OFFICE ELLSWORTH M. KUTZ, SR., WINFIELI) SOQTT SCHLEY KUTZ, AND ELLSWORTH 1VL KUTZ, JR., OF WEAVER-TOWN, PENNSYLVANIA SILO ATTACHMENT Application filed October 18, 1928.

This invention relates to a silo attachment and has for its primary object to provide in a manner as hereinafter set forth a device for automatically throwing ensilage from the silo as the same is required.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for discharging ensilage from a silo which can bereadily shifted in the silo to follow the ensilage as the quantity thereof decreases so that the necessity of a person going into the silo is obviated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above described character designed to form a compact unit which may be readily shifted in the silo as a whole.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description of the same proceeds and the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the present invention with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

' In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of the structureembody ing the present invention, the same being shown in operative position in the silo;

FigureQ is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a View in elevation of one of the door units used in connection with the present invention;

Figure 4 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of a modified construction of the present invention;

line 55 of Figured;

Figure 6 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a further modification of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings'in detail where- Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the Serial No. 813,353.

in like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a silo, which is indicated by the numeral 1, to be equipped with the present invention, is provided with a central vertical shaft 2 which extends throughout the length of the structure.

he usual door opening 3 of the silo is pro vided along each side with a longitudinally extending groove 4 and there is designed for closing the door opening a series of closure units 5 each of which is of substantially L-shaped design and is adapted to be placed in the opening with the angle thereof extending into the silo and with each end edge positioned in a groove 4. Each of the units is provided with a tongue 6 at its upper and lower side edges for engagement with the adjacent unit and each unit is in addition provided with a horizontal sliding latch 7 pivotally connected at its inner end with a vertical latch 8 the lower end of which is pivotally attached as at 9 to the door unit while the upper end extends a slight distance above the top edge of the unit. The other end of the sliding latch 7 projects beyond the adjacent end edge of the unit upon which it is carried for engagement in the adjacent door opening groove 4.

Each of the units is also permanently attached to the silo structure by a chain 10 so that when it is kicked from position in the manner hereinafter described it will be sustained outside of the silo and at one side of the door opening.

'lVithin the silo the shaft 2 has slidably mounted thereon on a tubular casting 11 the upper end of which is formed to provide a lateral surrounding collar 12 while formed about and slightly inwardly of the lower end of this casting is a second collar 18, against the under face of which a hub 14, surrounding the lower end of the casting, bears.

This hub 1d carries, a series of curved blades or arms 15 the outer end of eachof which has an integral upstanding portion 16 which sweeps or scoops up the ensilage as the blades revolve. v

' The hub 14 may be held in position upon the lower end ofthe casing 11 by the plate 17 silo. To this leading shaft unit the hub 53 of the blades 54 is secured and directly above the hub 53 is mounted on this leading shaft unit, in a suitable manner as upon a collar or the like a plurality, preferably 4, of radially extencing guide arms 55 to the outer end of each of which is pivotally attached a guide roller 56 designed to pass longitudinally along the inner wall of the silo as the blades work downwardly therein, to keep the shaft unit 51 and blades centered.

The shaft unit 51 has detachably connected to its upper end one or more following units 57 depending upon the position of the blades 54 within the silo and the uppermost one of the following units extends upwardly through a suitable bearing in the partition or floor 58 covering the upper portion of the silo structure. That portion of the upper shaft unit projecting through the partition 58 may be equipped with a detachable pulley, (not shown) to which any desired power unit may be connected to cause rotation of the shaft and the blades carried at the lower end thereof.

It is of course understood that the arms 55 are so mounted upon their supporting shaft unit as to permit the unit to freely rotate without turning the arms.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that ensilage may be readily and easily removed from a silo equipped with the structure embodying the present invention. It will also be apparent that the removal of the ensilage will be effected positively and that the mechanism may be readily shifted either to remove the blades from the ensilage material to prevent them from becoming frozen thereto in winter weather or to permit the introduction of fresh material into the silo.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. In combination with a silo having a lon gitudinal opening formed through the wall thereof, an ensilage discharging device comprising a rotary unit designed to rotate horizontally of the base thereof, a door closing said opening, and latching means for said door, said latching means being engageable with said rotary unit whereby to open the door.

2. In combination with a silo having a longitudinal opening formed through the wall thereof, an ensilage discharging device adapted to rotate horizontally within the silo, a plurality of doors mounted in said opening and latching means for each door, said latching means being en gagebio with said rotary unit, said doors being successively opened by rotation of the rotary unit.

3. In combination with a silo having a longitudinal opening formed through the wall thereof, ensilage discharging means adapted to sweep the ensilage toward the said opening, an axial member mounted within the silo and about which the discharging means is adapted to rotate, closures for said wall opening and latching means for said closures, said closures being adapted to be opened upon engagement of said latching means with said discharging means.

4. In combination with a silo having a longitudinal opening formed through the wall thereof, ensilage discharging means adapted to sweep the ensilage toward the opening, said discharging means comprising a hub member and a plurality of outwardly extending blades, a shaft mounted in the silo and about which the hub member is adapted to rotate, closure means for said opening and latching means for said closures, said latching means extending inwardly of the silo and engageable with said blades whereby to release the closure means for discharge of the ensilage through the opening.

5. In combination with a silo having a longitudinal opening formed through the wall thereof, ensilage discharging means rotatably mounted within the silo, rotating means for said discharging means, a plurality of closures for said wall opening, latch means for said closures, said discharging means being adapted to engage the said latch means whereby to open said closures, and stop means for holding said rotating means against rotary movement within the silo.

6. In combination with a silo having a longitudinal opening formed through the wall thereof, ensilage discharging means adapted to sweep the ensilage toward said opening, a plurality of closures for said opening, latching means mounted on said closures for holding the closures in said opening, said latching means being adapted to engage said discharging means whereby to release the closure upon engagement with said discharge means, rotating means for said discharge means, and means for raising and lowering the discharge means within the silo.

7. In combination with a silo having a longitudinal opening formed through the wall thereof, an axial member mounted within the silo, discharge means rotatable about said axial means and adapted to sweep the ensilage toward said opening, a plurality of closures for said opening, latch means for said closures, said closures being adapted to be successively released upon rotation of the discharge means, rotating means for said discharging means, slidable stop means mounted in the silo for holding the rotating means against rotary movement within the silo, and elevating and lowering means operable exteriorly of the silo for elevating and lowering the discharge means.

8. In combination with a silo having a longitudinal opening formed through the wall thereof, ensilage discharging means adapted to sweep the ensilage toward said Opening, a shaft mounted centrally ofsaid' silo," saiddischarge means' being slidably mounted on said shaft for rotation there about, a plurality of closures for said opening, release means mount'ecl on said closures,

said release means being. engageable' with sai'd disc'hargemeans Wher'eby to release the closure, and ope'rating' III'QfL-DS'IIIOHIltQd eX"-' teriorlyof saidsilo for raising and lowering the discharge lfieanswithi'nthe silo.

In testimony whereof We: hereuntdaffix our" signatures;

ELLS'WOR'TH ML K'UTZ; Sr. WINF'IELD SCOTT SCHLEY KU'TZ': ELLSWORTH'M. KUTLJI. 

